Phrasal Verbs with DO: Meanings, Examples, and Practice
Do is one of the first English verbs you learn, but its phrasal verbs are far less predictable. Do without means manage without something, do away with means remove or abolish it, and do up can mean fasten, decorate, or wrap something. The family is smaller than the huge get or take families, but the meanings are useful and often idiomatic.
This guide explains the main phrasal verbs with do, their grammar, and the contexts where they sound natural. Learn the complete phrase and its usual object, not only a one-word translation.
- Level: B1–C1
- Phrases covered: core everyday, British, and American uses
- Focus: meaning, patterns, register, and examples
DO AWAY WITH — remove, abolish, or stop using
Do away with means to get rid of something, especially a rule, system, or unnecessary item. It is inseparable: the object comes after the whole phrase.
The school decided to do away with paper forms.
Many people would like to do away with unnecessary meetings.
It can also mean “kill” in older crime fiction, but that use is dramatic and not appropriate for normal conversation. In everyday English, use it for removing a policy, habit, or object.
DO WITHOUT — manage when you do not have something
Do without means to live or manage without something that you would normally use or want.
I can do without coffee for one day, but not a whole week.
We had to do without internet during the storm.
This phrase often appears with can, could, have to, or will have to. It is useful when you are talking about limited resources or an unwanted absence.
DO UP — fasten, renovate, or wrap
Do up has several common meanings. Context tells you which one is intended.
| Meaning | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fasten clothes | do up + coat / button / shoe | Do up your coat before you go outside. |
| renovate or decorate | do up + house / room | They bought an old flat to do up. |
| wrap or tie | do up + parcel / bag | Could you do up this parcel for me? |
| prepare yourself smartly | be done up | He was done up in a dark suit. |
With an object, do up is often separable: do up the coat or do the coat up. With a pronoun, put it in the middle: do it up.
DO OVER — repeat or renovate
In American English, do over often means do something again because the first attempt was not good enough.
The file was damaged, so I had to do the report over.
It can also mean renovate or improve a room, especially in informal American English: They did over the kitchen last summer. In British English, do up is more common for renovation.
DO IN — exhaust, defeat, or kill
Do in is informal. It can mean make somebody extremely tired, defeat somebody, or, in crime stories, kill somebody.
That long walk really did me in.
The final question did in several strong candidates.
Use the first meaning carefully in conversation. It is expressive and informal, so exhaust may be better in formal writing.
DO OUT OF — unfairly prevent someone from having something
Do somebody out of something means unfairly stop someone from receiving money, an opportunity, or another benefit.
The mistake did her out of a place in the final.
They felt they had been done out of their payment.
This is usually passive or used when the situation seems unfair. Do not separate the object from out of: say do someone out of money, not do out someone of money.
Other useful phrases with DO
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do with | need or want | I could do with a short break. |
| do by | treat someone in a particular way | She always does right by her clients. |
| do for | be enough for; ruin or exhaust | A sandwich will do for lunch. |
| do down | criticize or treat unfairly | Do not do yourself down in the interview. |
| do out | decorate; clean and arrange | They did out the hall for the festival. |
| do up to | act in a very friendly way to gain favour | He was doing up to the manager. |
Some of these are more common in British English, especially do someone down and do out. When a phrase is unfamiliar to your audience, use a clearer single verb such as criticize, decorate, or need.
DO phrasal verbs: grammar and memory tips
Keep the usual pattern with the phrase.
| Phrase | Pattern to remember |
|---|---|
| do away with | do away with + noun |
| do without | do without + noun / -ing |
| do up | do up + noun / do + pronoun + up |
| do over | do over + noun / do + pronoun + over |
| do someone out of something | person + out of + thing |
| could do with | could do with + noun |
Make one picture or situation for each phrase. For do without, imagine a train journey without a charger. For do up, picture buttoning a coat. A concrete scene separates the meanings much better than a long translation list.
For wider practice, use the existing complete phrasal verbs guide. Compare productive base verbs in the Phrasal Verbs with MAKE guide and then practise by level in Linglify.
Vocabulary snippet: practise the pattern
Save a small set, say each phrase with its usual object, and write one sentence that is true for you.
worthless
adjective
An adjective describing something that has no value or use.
Examples
- Don't let anyone make you feel worthless or unimportant.
- The broken watch became completely worthless and couldn't be repaired.
formally
adverb
In a manner that follows accepted customs or conventions.
Examples
- Students must formally register for classes before the semester begins.
- The new president will be formally inaugurated next month in the capital.
border
noun
An area or line that separates two countries, states, or regions.
Examples
- The garden had a beautiful flower border along the path.
- They crossed the border between France and Germany.
unload
verb
To remove a load or burden from something or someone.
Examples
- Ship crew must unload containers at port.
- Workers unload cargo from delivery truck efficiently.
stress
verb
To feel mental or emotional pressure or worry; to emphasize or give importance to something.
Examples
- Heavy workload may stress employees beyond limits.
- Teacher will stress importance of homework completion.
willingly
adverb
In a way that shows eagerness or enthusiasm to do something.
Examples
- He willingly shared his knowledge with younger students.
- The volunteers worked willingly without expecting any payment.
prospect
noun
A possible future event or situation that may happen, often based on current evidence.
Examples
- Economic prospect looks optimistic for next year.
- Job prospect improves with additional education training.
willingness
noun
The quality of being eager or ready to do something.
Examples
- Her willingness to learn impressed all the teachers.
- The company values employees' willingness to work as a team.
timeliness
noun
The quality or state of being appropriate or suitable at the right time.
Examples
- Project timeliness determines success in competitive business environment.
- Report timeliness affects decision making processes significantly.
calm
adjective
Not feeling worried or upset; peaceful.
Examples
- She remained calm despite the stressful situation at work.
- The calm ocean reflected the beautiful colors of the sunset.
bewilderment
noun
A feeling of being confused or unable to understand.
Examples
- She stared in bewilderment at the unexpected test results.
- The tourist's bewilderment was obvious when he got lost downtown.
brick
noun
A solid block of clay or other material used in construction or for building walls.
Examples
- He's been a real brick during this crisis.
- The house was built with traditional red brick.
revise
verb
To change or improve something, especially a piece of writing or a plan.
Examples
- Author must revise manuscript before publication deadline.
- Student will revise lessons before final examination.
lap
noun
The top part of the body of a person or animal when sitting or lying down.
Examples
- The cat curled up comfortably on her lap while reading.
- The runner completed another lap around the track successfully.
transfer
verb
To move from one place to another, often of goods or people.
Examples
- Bank will transfer money between accounts quickly.
- Student may transfer to different university program.
max
noun
A short form of a name or nickname, often used for a person or thing.
Examples
- Students can borrow max of five books from library.
- The speed limit max on highway is seventy miles per hour.
exhausted
adjective
Very tired or worn out; lacking energy.
Examples
- After running the marathon, she felt completely exhausted and needed to rest.
- The exhausted workers finally finished their twelve-hour shift at the factory.
diligent
adjective
Showing care and effort in work or duties.
Examples
- Diligent students typically achieve better grades through consistent hard work.
- The diligent researcher spent years collecting data for the scientific study.
independent
adjective
Not dependent on others; self-reliant.
Examples
- She's very independent and prefers to solve problems on her own.
- The independent research confirmed the results of the original study.
impolitely
adverb
In a way that is not polite or respectful.
Examples
- He spoke impolitely to the waiter and made everyone uncomfortable.
- She impolitely refused to answer the reporter's questions.
characterize
verb
To describe or portray the character or qualities of someone or something.
Examples
- Honesty and integrity characterize his approach to business dealings.
- The report characterizes the current economic situation as generally stable.
yell
verb
A verb meaning to shout loudly, often in anger or excitement.
Examples
- Don't yell at the children when they make innocent mistakes.
- The coach had to yell instructions over the crowd noise.
aggressive
adjective
Ready to attack or confront; showing strong energy or determination.
Examples
- Some drivers become aggressive when stuck in heavy traffic for hours.
- The aggressive marketing campaign helped increase sales by thirty percent last quarter.
alphabet
noun
A set of letters used to write a language.
Examples
- Children learn the alphabet before they can read complete sentences.
- The English alphabet has twenty-six letters from A to Z.
What to do next
- Practise connected phrases in the intermediate phrasal verbs library.
- Read the complete phrasal verbs guide to review separable and inseparable patterns.
- Compare do with the existing MAKE phrasal verbs guide.
- Add three do phrases to your Linglify dictionary and review them in context tomorrow.
FAQ
What is the most common phrasal verb with do?
Do without and do away with are among the most useful to recognize. Do up is also common, especially for clothes, parcels, and home renovation.
Is do up separable?
Yes, when it has an object. You can say do up the jacket or do the jacket up, but with a pronoun say do it up.
What does I could do with mean?
It means “I would like” or “I need,” usually for something helpful now: I could do with a glass of water. It is informal and common in British English.
Are all do phrasal verbs common in American English?
No. Do over is especially common in American English, while do up for renovation and do someone down are more often British. Context and region affect which phrase sounds most natural.
